Some of those dying people would be greatly comforted if they could be assured that a beloved pet is safe. It's often a lot easier to save a healthy pet, than a severely ill person, in a situation like this.
My daughter would be greatly comforted if she had her 3 pets. I'm greatly comforted we got her out of a 4th world country alive. I'm not callossed! I know it's painful for these kids. I know they're scarred. It ripped my heart out losing my pure- bred, hand picked, expensive, family pets, to have to leave them essentially during a coup. Yes, yes, yes, it is hard but this is survival. It would be so wonderful if every kid could have their pet, but it is more important they have their lives, that even more kids have their lives. We are so clueless in the US not having lived in 4th world conditions. CLUELESS!!! I'll go to work tonight, knowing how hard my work load is, and knowing nurses are stuck in NO, and thanking God I'm not there, deciding which patient I can keep alive, having an IV in my hand and dragging a pole behind me to keep going. I love dogs passionately, but this is absurd.
Belive me, I'd much prefer to be picking up fido than agonizing over which of several baby's live's to save when I have to decide which has the best chance to live when I have only 2 hands and have to choose which one. BTDT. Wasn't fun.